Police Conduct and Crowd Control: Judicial Scrutiny of Force Deployment in Public Protests

The recent submission of an affidavit by the Bihar Police to the Supreme Court regarding the discharge of an AK-47 during NEET-UG protests has brought the issue of police conduct and crowd control mechanisms back into the national discourse. The incident, where a constable fired into the air to disperse a crowd, raises fundamental questions about the proportionality of force used by law enforcement agencies when managing civil unrest and student-led demonstrations. In a democratic setup, the police force is expected to adhere to the principles of 'minimum force' and 'graduated response' while dealing with public protests. The use of high-caliber military-grade weaponry, such as an AK-47, for crowd control is inherently problematic and contradicts standard operating procedures (SOPs) that prioritize non-lethal methods like water cannons, tear gas, or lathi charges. The judicial intervention in this matter underscores the judiciary's role in ensuring that the executive branch remains accountable for its actions, particularly when those actions involve the potential violation of public safety and civil liberties.